You need to monitor the vacuum levels before doing anything else and then report the numbers here.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Yes I had caught your comment before.

I should be able to do that either tonight or tomorrow sometime.

Tks

__________________


Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

Right - well that's that then. I'm glad we have now ascertained that it only works in first and reverse.

However:-

I'll shut up and wait for the vacuum numbers!

(On a personal note Zacharias I didn't mean to be irritating I was and still am trying to help - do it Kerry's way then hopefully there won't be so much messing about)

__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

Ah yes, sorry to bite your head off but eating a variety of drugs for lower back pain/sciatica since the weekend leaves me a bit, uh, jumpy at times....

I just got ***** at work for an email I sent yesterday

__________________


Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

Okay, vacuum report:

Modulator: holds vacuum, does not leak down at all. Tried it multiple times.

Driving: I got fluctuating readings at idle. Started off showing 8 in/hg at idle and 7 under load (all the way up to about 22 mph). Then as car warmed up went up to 12-ish at idle, 7 under load. Then down 10/7. Then back to 8/7.

Gauge is brand new.

I did notice some oily residue around the connectors, which wasn't there on the weekend.

__________________


Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

Were those numbers at the modulator line? What is the level in the systems as a whole?

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

That is what is going to the modulator line.

I did not measure the main line today but after the diaphragm replacement it was I believe 22. It was good.

__________________


Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

I don't know what the numbers should be on a vacuum only transmission but they seem low to me. You could use the Mity Vac to pump up the levels to the transmission and then bleed it down, all while your driving to see if it makes a difference.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Can you tell me what you expected for numbers?

__________________


Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

Something mimicking a gas engine like the VCV does on the trans with the bowden cable. Higher at idle and dropping to 0 at wide open acceleration.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Hmmm I wasn't exactly using WOT in first gear today.

There is mention in one of the threads of gently enlarging the opening at the T running from the main vacuum supply line. With the sort of low reading I got today, I am inclined to try that next.

I am a little curious about the modulator valve as well. I read two or three times in various threads that they should slowly bleed down. Mine holds its vacuum and doesn't bleed down at all.

__________________


Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

I wouldn't enlarge the opening before determining whether increased vacuum improves the shifting by using a Mity Vac. At this point, nobody seems to know what the vacuum numbers should be on this transmission so experimenting with a Mity Vac is the only way I know of to see if the shifting can be improved by increasing or decreasing vacuum.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I hear you. Tonight or tomorrow.

Building a long enough extension to the vacuum lines to get them through into the cabin for MityVac is going to be a riot.

My vac gauge has a long hose so it wasn't such an issue.

__________________


Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

Just buy a 6' piece of rubber vacuum hose at the parts store. You can use it now and when the vacuum system craps out, you can run a line from the shut off valve into the driver's seat so you can suck and shut off

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Sounds like something out of Casino Royale (the original one)

__________________


Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22